Observatory and Nexus created campaign using eight miniature sets
It took a team of 128 people and eight miniature sets to bring to life Corona's latest spot, an intricate stop motion animation about the history of Mexico and its beer, narrated by "The Motorcycle Diaries" actor Gael Garcia Bernal.
Created by agency Observatory for the Mexican market, the handcrafted animation sets out to illustrate the relationship Corona has had with Mexicans since its beginnings in 1925, shortly after the Mexican Revolution. Alongside miniature animations influenced by Mexican art, in particular that of surrealist artist Pedro Friedeberg, Bernal describes how the brand played a role in the golden age of Mexican cinema, and began an ambitious export plan in the 80s despite an economic crisis. It ends on an optimistic note about the present day Mexico, with a set showing a modern cityscape and construction work.
The film was directed by Nicolas Ménard, and produced and animated by London/L.A.'based Nexus Studios. The character models were designed at Nexus, then 3D printed and painted by Andy Gent’s team at Arch Model Studios, whose credits include Wes Anderson’s "Isle of Dogs" and "Fantastic Mr. Fox." The music is an original score by Bridget Samuels, interpreted by an orchestra of over 50 musicians in London.
The campaign was inspired by the label on every Corona bottle: La Cerveza Mas Fina. “'La Mas Fina' means quality and craft. So everything we did in our campaign had to have the same craft as our beer,” says Clarissa Pantoja, director of Corona,in a statement.